Who Will TITAS, Brinker International Forum Bring to Dallas in 2011-2012?

Two AT&T Performing Arts Center programmers have released their lineups for 2011-2012.

Charles Santos’ TITAS will feature an expanded lineup over 2010-2011, including such noted dance companies as Plobolus, Diavolo, American Ballet Theatre, and DanceBrazil. Musical performers will include Broadway and film star Brian Stokes Mitchell, Latin rock band Los Lobos, and Ladysmith Black Mambazo, the South African group known for their collaboration with performers such as Stevie Wonder and Paul Simon,.

The Brinker series will feature actor Jamie Foxx, illusionist David Blaine, and National Geographic’s Roz Savage and Mireya Mayor, among others.

DALLAS (May 12) – The AT&T Performing Arts Center announced today that the 2011-2012 TITAS and Brinker International Forum seasons will feature an exciting and diverse lineup of programs that range from the internationally celebrated American Ballet Theatre to the Academy Award winning actor, singer and stand up comedian, Jamie Foxx.

“TITAS and Brinker International Forum continue to fulfill our goal of bringing audiences a wide variety of performances and programs that are exciting, entertaining, informative and, in the case of the dance companies, visually stunning,” said Doug Curtis, interim CEO of the AT&T Performing Arts Center. “We think people who subscribe to the TITAS and Brinker International Forum seasons will be greatly rewarded.”

Dubbed “The Last Leading Man” by the New York Times, Brian Stokes Mitchell has enjoyed a rich and varied career on Broadway, television and film, along with appearances in the great American concert halls. His musical versatility has kept him in demand by some of the country’s finest conductors and orchestras. In 2006, he released his self-titled album as the inaugural artist on the newly-formed Playbill Records label. In addition to singing, Stokes produced the album and also wrote many of the arrangements and orchestrations. He continues to perform as both a soloist and a guest star at concerts throughout the United States. In May, he appeared in the film Jumping The Broom playing opposite Angela Bassett.

Aspen Santa Fe Ballet

Winspear Opera House

8 p.m. September 10, 2011

This uniquely structured and multi-faceted organization, founded in 1990 by longtime Aspen resident Bebe Schweppe, is one of the largest, nationally recognized dance presenters in the country and presents the best in dance in Aspen and Santa Fe. Led by directors Tom Mossbrucker and Jean-Philippe Malaty, and heading into its second decade of activity, ASFB is a leader in the dance world in terms of repertoire and acquiring and commissioning work from top choreographers. Audiences locally, nationally, and internationally have embraced this thriving company on stages such as The Joyce Theater in New York City, the famed Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, The Kennedy Center, Wolf Trap, The Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Chicago, and in foreign venues including Canada, France, Italy, Greece and Guatemala. With its highly unique repertoire, ASFB is a kind of a gathering place for the finest dancers and choreographers in the world.

Los Lobos

Winspear Opera House

8 p.m. September 13, 2011

After 34 years of making music, three-time Grammy winner Los Lobos continues to churn out inventive and inspiring music. Los Lobos was formed in 1974 by David Hidalgo, Conrad Lozano, Louie Prez and Cesar Rosas, four friends from Garfield High School in East Los Angeles. Though they started out as a rock ‘n’ roll band, they soon chose a more traditional Mexican acoustic style. In time, the band adopted music from Tex-Mex, country, folk, R&B and blues, as well as the traditional Mexican songs from their roots. The band has won Grammys for its 1988 Spanish-language album, and for its contribution to the film Desperado. They also released a children’s album in 1995, and have collaborated with artists such as Dave Alvin, Ruben Blades, Elvis Costello, Little Willie G, Mavis Staples, Richard Thompson, Bobby Womack and Tom Waits. Los Lobos will be a great way to celebrate Deiz y Seis.

The intricate rhythms and stirring harmonies of Ladysmith Black Mambazo’s South African sound have captivated audiences for more than 40 years. Led by Joseph Shabalala, the group’s discography currently includes more than 50 recordings. Borrowing heavily from a traditional music called “isicathamiya,” which was developed in the mines of South Africa, the group’s philosophy has always been as much about the preservation of musical heritage as it is about entertainment. The group has recorded with numerous artists from around the world, including Stevie Wonder, Josh Groban, Dolly Parton, Ben Harper and many more. They have been featured on several motion picture soundtracks including Coming to America, Invictus, and Cry The Beloved Country. In addition, they’ve performed for the Queen of England, South African President Nelson Mandela, at two Nobel Peace Prize ceremonies, and at the 1996 summer Olympics.

American Ballet Theatre

Winspear Opera House

8 p.m. January 20-21, 2012

Founded in 1940, the American Ballet Theatre has become one of the greatest dance companies in the world. Few ballet companies equal the company’s combination of size, scope and outreach. ABT annually tours the United States, performing for more than 600,000 people, and is the only major cultural institution to do so. It has also made more than 15 international tours to 42 countries, and has been sponsored by the State Department of the United States on many of these engagements. In keeping with the company’s long-standing commitment to bringing the finest in dance to the widest international audience, ABT recently enjoyed triumphant engagements in Tokyo, London, Paris, Madrid, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Palermo, Italy, and in Athens and Thessaloniki, Greece. Under the direction of Kevin McKenzie, the company continues to be focused on bringing the magic of dancetheater to the great stages of the world.

Command Performance

Winspear Opera House

March 2, 2012

TITAS continues its tradition of presenting Command Performance, the definitive dance event of the season. Command Performance will take place in the Winspear Opera House. The world’s greatest dance stars will come together for a spectacular evening of dance, with classic pas de deux alongside awe-inspiring contemporary works.

Anoushka Shankar

Wyly Theatre

8 p.m. March 31 – April 1, 2012

Renowned sitar player and composer Anoushka Shankar has made a name for herself on the world music scene, exploring fertile ground in the crossover between Indian music and a variety of genres including electronic, jazz, flamenco and Western classical music. The daughter of the legendary Ravi Shankar, Anoushka made her performance debut at age 13 in New Delhi. Since her first album Anoushka was released in 1998, she has been nominated for two Grammy Awards, was featured as one of 20 Asian heroes by the Asia edition of Time magazine, and has collaborated with several well-known artists including Lenny Kravitz, Norah Jones and Sting. In addition, she was the sitar soloist alongside the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra for a series of concerts premiering her father’s third concerto for sitar and orchestra in 2009.

DanceBrazil

Wyly Theatre

8 p.m. April 13-14, 2012

Founded in 1977 by Jelon Vieira, DanceBrazil has thrilled audiences throughout the world with its exciting fusion of the Afro-Brazilian movement, contemporary dance and “capoeira,” a traditional Brazilian dance and martial arts form. As founder and artistic director of The Capoeira Foundation and DanceBrazil, Vieira and the late Loremil Machado were the first artists to bring traditional Afro-Brazilian dance and capoeira to the United States more than 30 years ago. In 1977, the late choreographer Alvin Ailey suggested he change the name of the company from The Capoeiras of Bahia to DanceBrazil. Since that time, Vieira has guided the company through breathtaking performances of capoeira and Afro-Brazilian dance before audiences in Europe, Asia, Brazil, and the United States. In 2008, Vieira was honored with a National Heritage Fellowship for his work with the company.

Diavolo

Wyly Theatre

8 p.m. May 4-5, 2012

Created in 1992 by Jacques Heim, Diavolo is a lively study in the way individuals act with their environment. Diavolo is known for constantly changing the image it presents to audiences, and has developed a vocabulary of movement that creates an unforgettable experience of powerful images. The young, 10-member company currently has more than a dozen works in repertoire. In 1993, it was nominated for two Lester Horton Awards in Los Angeles, and in 1995, the company made its European debut at the Edinburgh Festival where it was named “Best of the Fest” by the London Independent and “Critic’s Choice” by The Guardian. The company also received three Lester Horton Awards in 1995 for the work Tete en L’Air. In 1997, artistic director Jacques Heim was recognized by the Los Angeles Times as one of “36 Faces to Watch.”

Madeleine Peyroux

Wyly Theatre

7 and 9 p.m., May 24, 2012

Jazz songstress Madeleine Peyroux’s road to fame is as romantic as her sound. Having honed her vocal and guitar skills on the famously unique, acoustic streets of Europe, Peyroux’s style was inspired by jazz legends such as Billie Holiday, Bessie Smith and Louis Armstrong. She is perhaps best known to her fans for intimately arranging covers of early American blues and jazz music. Some of her most notable albums include 2005’s Careless Love and 2009’s Bare Bones. Peyroux has collaborated with heavy hitters such as Joe Henry, Steely Dan’s Walter Becker and the Rolling Stones’ Bill Wyman, and went on tour last year with Diana Krall and Melody Gardot in Australia. Her new album will be released this year.

Tickets for TITAS performances range from $12 to $200.

Fidelity Investments is a Series Supporting Sponsor of this season of TITAS. Sheraton Dallas is the official Hotel Sponsor.

Brinker International Forum 2011-2012 Series:

Judith Jamison

Winspear Opera House

8 p.m. November 3, 2011

Event Sponsor: Jones Day

Lauded dancer and choreographer Judith Jamison has spent most of her life on stage, and has enjoyed a career most performers only dream about. Plucked from obscurity by acclaimed choreographer Agnes de Mille to appear in The Four Marys at New York’s American Ballet Theatre in 1964, Jamison quickly made a name for herself on stage.

She became principal dancer for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 1967, and has performed with celebrated dancers Mikhail Baryshnikov and Alexander Godunov. Jamison spent the 80s starring in numerous Broadway productions, such as the musical Sophisticated Ladies, and choreographing her own works. When Alvin Ailey died in 1989, she was named artistic director of AAADT. Jamison has received several awards throughout the years including a Kennedy Center Honor, National Medal of Arts and an Emmy Award for the PBS “Great Performances: Dance In America” special, “A Hymn for Alvin Ailey.” In 1993, she published her autobiography Dancing Spirit.

Jamie Foxx

Winspear Opera House

8 p.m. December 8, 2011

Event Sponsor: Diane and Hal Brierley

Experience why Jamie Foxx is considered one of the most versatile performers working today, as the actor, singer-songwriter, stand-up comedian and talk radio host discusses his fascinating almost 20-year career. In an on-stage interview with clips, Foxx, whose real name is Eric Bishop and was raised in Terrell, will share the creative process behind some of his most memorable roles in films such as Collateral, Ray and Ali, and discusses what it takes to juggle a successful acting and music career. The native Texan will end the one night event with a question and answer session with the audience. Foxx’s many talents have earned him numerous accolades including the Academy Award and BAFTA Award. In 2004, he became the first actor to receive three Golden Globe nominations and four SAG Award nominations in the same year.

David Blaine

The Art of Magic

Winspear Opera House

8 p.m. January 12, 2012

Event Sponsor: One Arts Plaza

Master illusionist David Blaine is best known for his high-profile feats of endurance, and has made a name as a performer of street magic. Known for his over-the-top public spectacles, Blaine has been buried alive, drowned alive, frozen in ice and suspended five stories over Times Square in New York City.

Blaine began his career with street magic, performing card tricks, levitation, and illusions. Recorded live in front of everyday people by a small camera crew, this act provided the basis for his breakthrough television specials, which included David Blaine: Street Magic and David Blaine: Magic Man. Blaine has set and broken several world records and The New York Times referred to him as a “modern day Houdini.”

Roz Savage

As part of National Geographic LIVE!

Winspear Opera House

8 p.m., February 21, 2012

Event Sponsor: The Ted and Shannon Skokos Foundation

What’s it like to be a million oar strokes from your destination, tossed alone in a tiny boat? Roz Savage, a one-time management consultant turned full-time rower, environmental advocate, and inspirational speaker completed a grueling 103-day, 2,935-mile (4,723-kilometer) oceanic ordeal in 2005. Storms broke all of her oars and claimed her stove, stereo, and cockpit navigation instruments. Her satellite phone failed with nearly four weeks left on the journey. Undaunted, Roz rowed on. In 2008, she rowed solo from San Francisco to Hawaii, as part one of a three-part journey to draw attention to environmental problems that threaten the ocean, and to encourage individual action.

The British ocean rower and environmental campaigner has rowed over 11,000 miles, taken 3.5 million oarstrokes, and spent cumulatively nearly a year of her life at sea in a 23-foot rowboat. Her personal creed of taking life “one oarstroke at a time,” and her promotion of the EcoHero movement, has inspired countless people around the world. In 2011, she will set out to complete the “Big Three” by rowing solo across the Indian Ocean.

Mireya Mayor

As part of National Geographic LIVE!

Winspear Opera House

8 p.m, March 19, 2012

Event Sponsor: John Eagle Dealerships

As a two-time Emmy Award-nominated field correspondent for the National Geographic Channel, Mireya Mayor has reported to audiences worldwide on pertinent wildlife and habitat issues. Closest to her heart is her ongoing study of a newfound species of Microcebus, or mouse lemur, which she discovered on a 2000 field expedition in Madagascar. Her work with this rare primate inspired the prime minister of Madagascar to establish a national park to help protect the new species, conserving the 10 percent that remains of the African island nation’s once vast forest. Mayor recently earned her Ph.D. while conducting research on the effects of forest fragmentation and isolation on two types of lemurs found only in northern Madagascar. Earning her the nickname of “female Indiana Jones”, Mayor’s Ultimate Explorer TV expeditions have taken her to Central Africa’s gorillas, underwater with the six-foot (1.8-meter) Humboldt squid, and into a veterinarian’s haven for leopards in Namibia.

If you are one of the millions of viewers who regularly tune into ABC’s Modern Family each week, you’ve probably fallen in love with the characters Mitchell Pritchett, Phil Dunphy and Cameron Tucker, played by Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Ty Burrell and Eric Stonestreet, respectively. The actors will take the Winspear stage to discuss their hit show, which is centered on the lives of three unconventional families.